Lostara slowly crouched down until she was at his eye-level. ‘Not just Felisin, then. Who was with her?’

‘Baudin – a damned frightening man, that one, but strangely loyal to Felisin, though...’ He lifted his head and met her gaze. ‘Well, she wasn’t one to reward loyalty, if you know what I mean. Anyway. Baudin, and Heboric.’

‘Heboric? Who is that?’

‘Was once a priest of Fener – all tattooed with the fur of the Boar. Had no hands – they’d been cut off. Anyway, them three.’

‘Across the desert,’ Lostara murmured. ‘But the west coast of the island has ... nothing.’

‘Well, they were expecting a boat, then, weren’t they? It was planned, right? Anyway, that’s as far as I can take the tale. For the rest, ask my sergeant. Or Stormy. Or Truth.’

‘Truth? Who is he?’

‘He’s the one who’s just showed up in the doorway behind you ... come to deliver more bones.’ He raised his voice. ‘No need to hesitate, Truth. In fact, this pretty woman here has some questions for you.’

Another one with the strange skin. She studied the tall, gangly youth who cautiously approached, carrying another bulging burlap sack from which sand drifted down in a dusty cloud. Hood take me, a comely lad . . . though that air of vulnerability would get on my nerves eventually. She straightened. ‘I would know of Felisin,’ she said, slipping some iron into her tone.

Sufficient to catch Pella’s notice, and he threw her a sharp look.

Both dogs had awakened at Truth’s arrival, but neither rose from where they lay – they simply fixed eyes on the lad.

Truth set down the bag and snapped to sudden attentiveness. Colour rose in his face.

My charms. It’s not Pella who’ll remember this day. Not Pella who’ll find someone to worship. ‘Tell me about what happened on the western shore of Otataral Island. Did the rendezvous occur as planned?’

‘I believe so,’ Truth replied after a moment. ‘But we weren’t part of that plan – we just happened to find our-selves in the same boat with Kulp, and it was Kulp who was looking to collect them.’

‘Kulp? The cadre mage from the Seventh?’

‘Aye, him. He’d been sent by Duiker—’

‘The imperial historian?’ Gods, what twisted trail is this? ‘And why would he have any interest in saving Felisin?’

‘Kulp said it was the injustice,’ Truth answered. ‘But you got it wrong – it wasn’t Felisin that Duiker wanted to help. It was Heboric.’

Pella spoke in a low voice quite unlike what she had heard from him moments earlier. ‘If Duiker is going to be made out as some kind of traitor ... well, lass, better think twice. This is Aren, after all. The city that watched. That saw Duiker delivering the refugees to safety. He was the last one through the gate, they say.’ The emotion riding his words was now raw. ‘And Pormqual had him arrested!’